The 'Marquis' bread wheat cultivar was developed by a team led by Dr. William Saunders, Director, Dominion Experimental Farms, between 1892 and 1909.

[1] It was selected for superiority in milling quality for bread flour over other cultivars then prevalent in western Canada.

'Marquis' had the advantage of maturing 10 days earlier than its competitors – a factor of great importance in the Canadian wheatbelt such as Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, extending as far south as southern Nebraska.

In 1909, four hundred samples were distributed to farmers throughout Western Canada, resulting in a number of successful crops grown.

Marquis was eventually replaced by rust-resistant varieties like Thatcher, Apex, and Renown.